a community of practitioners

Competition among therapists question

As a student massage therapist, I have been wondering about the competitiveness in the real world as a massage therapist. Is there a lot of competition for clients? My class is less than a week away from finishing school. However, I am finding myself having to ever so slightly distance myself from my fellow classmates as once we are out of school, we would technically be competing for clients. Am I over thinking this or what?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on May 31, 2018 at 8:55pm

It’s good to think on things, but I think you are over thinking. First of all. If all you guys/gals hang your shingle out the door of your own clinic, who is going to come to any of you? Most of the population that gets massage on a regular basis, already has a therapist or establishment they go to. Your competition is not going to be your fellow graduates. It’s going to be the therapist or establishment that’s been in business for several years. I mean if you are looking to get a massage. And didn’t have a massage therapist. Are you going to go to the therapist just out of school, or the one that’s been doing it for ten years. Or would you go to a spa, or perhaps chiropractic clinic that has a good reputation for massages?

In my opinion, your best bet out of school, is to find employment in an established businesses. A chiropractic clinic or a spa. Build up experience, clientele, then maybe branch out on your own. I wouldn’t be worried about competition from your fellow students. They aren’t going to be your problem. Unless they take that opening in the spa or chiropractic clinic.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ajay on June 1, 2018 at 8:52am

Yes, Gordon is right, you are overthinking it. His advice is sound. Some things to keep in mind...

In most areas of the country there is a shortage of therapists. Right out of the gate a small percentage of your of your classmates may not even take their first job for any number of reasons. Statistically speaking, in two years, half of your graduating class will drop out of the profession. A lot of spas and even chiro's have a pretty large turnover in therapists for any number of reasons, some of its seasonal, low pay, poor management, therapists start their own biz, or therapist burn out. I know a therapist or two that are just sort of MT gypsies, they work at one spa for awhile and then just move on to another because they like a lot of change, often coming back to places they have worked at before after a time.

Don't worry and don't self doubt, you will be fine. Just trust in yourself.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Massage sucks on August 3, 2018 at 12:56pm

I think all of that has been sound advice. At one spa I worked they had me signing a form saying I won't try to steal the clients I worked on for at least a year. During school I was told that odds are you can't take clients with you when you leave a spa.

The the reason is that they choose that spa for a reason. While you might give good massages, that wasn't the original reason the spa in particular was chosen. Unless you provide something special and or unique odds are the clients original reason for choosing that spa won't change.

It could be something as simple as the location of the spa. Maybe it's even the days or hours they are open.

Best thing you could do is find something you do really well, or a unique nitch for the area your in. Once you find it, run wild with it. Everyone does things differently. This profession isn't about the therapist, it's about helping the clients. If you do that well enough, word does eventually get around. Everything I have read say's it takes 2 - 3 years to start your own business.